6/29/2020
Covid 19 Pandemic
I don't know how many times I've listen to this show, however this is the first time I've listen to this recording. What can be said that some other Dead Head has said about this show other than by ANY recording standard this has to be the best LIVE recording ever. Whomever recorded this was in the "Goldie Locks" zone of the Palladium and created what can only be called a recording gem even by live Dead Head Shows. If there was one word to describe this show is BOUNCE!. Every Song just bounces. Anyways, 25 years later, still have a healthy obsession with the Dead and this show. Peace out y'all, and I hope you survive coronachan with good health.

First off, this is a phenomenal show. Fantastic! SEVERAL standout, tremendous performances/versions and a completely awesome setlist. 1971 is an underappreciated year, partly because some of the available recordings from that year are fairly atroccious. I was fortunate to get the SBD of this one before it got taken down, but the AUD/SBD MATRIX copy of this show is of course OUTSTANDING. But still this AUD one really aint bad considering the year! Sometimes listening to an older sounding copy just gives it an authentic feel. Because many shows (from all years) didn't have that great of sound LIVE in person to begin with!

But really, when a show is THIS GOOD... the recording matters less!

From a historical perspective, this show is a little over a month before Pigpen was hospitalized, and missed some shows, I think, before rejoining the band. So, this may have been the Zenith of the Pigpen era. The Berkley show 8 days later is pretty hot too, but I still give this one the nod. If you like Me and Bobby McGee, THIS show is DA BOMB. But check out the version from 8/14/71 Berkley, too, and note the difference in Jerry's solos.